Kitchens, along with bathrooms, are among the most hazardous of all rooms in
the home. Spilled liquids, grease, falls and fires are just some of the
safety issues that have to be considered when planning any DIY
kitchen
projects.

Aside from specialized rules such as electrical regulations for kitchens and
gas regulations for kitchens, most safety rules for kitchens are based on
good common sense. Pay attention to these and it's possible to reduce the
likelihood of a bad kitchen accident by a considerable margin.

1. Don't put stoves or ranges under windows or next to doors.

Blowing
kitchen curtains could easily catch fire from hot burners or grease fires in
a skillet.

Stoves also should not be placed near doors because people tend to
congregate in such areas, or they may brush against a hot stove in passing.
Not good!

2. Keep ovens and refrigerators or freezers separated from one another. For
example, if the refrigerator and the stove must go on the same wall, be sure
there's a bank of cupboards between them. Also make sure that the stove is
well ventilated to remove the heat. Otherwise, the motor in the refrigerator
or freezer will have to work harder to keep things cool, and it most likely
will burn out. A refrigerator that doesn't keep cold food stored at 40
degrees F or below will allow the growth of bacteria. Result: food
poisoning!

3. Keep refrigerators out of corners. These appliance doors must open wider
than 90 degrees so that shelves can be removed for cleaning.

4. Keep the stove away from the sink, at least 24 inches (600 mm). This is
to minimize the possibility that water will splash into hot fat and cause it
to explode, possibly igniting a fire.

5. Keep a fire blanket within easy reach of the stove at all times in case
hot grease catches fire.

Smothering is the best extinguisher for a hot fat
fire because it deprives the fire of oxygen without spreading the burning
grease around to ignite other parts of the room.

6. Remember the kitchen work triangle for safety as well as efficiency.
Don't put the refrigerator in an area where hot utensils will be
transferred, to avoid running into people getting food from the fridge. Try
to keep the traffic flow away from the stove or food preparation working
spaces. If this isn't possible, try to minimize traffic encounters as much
as possible when cooking.

7. Think about installing non-slip flooring material in the kitchen. Between
stray drops of water, inevitable food spills and other liquid hazards,
non-slip flooring may save many a fall. Area rugs can be helpful in front of
the stove and the sink, but make sure they're well-anchored and made of low
pile to reduce the possibility of tripping.

8. Pay attention to kitchen lighting. For example,
kitchen island lighting could involve pendant lamps, which provide
focused light for task work. However, be sure that the pendants hang at
levels where people aren't likely to bump their heads or get pendants on
extendable cords to raise and lower them as needed.

Keep your wits about you in the kitchen and you'll avoid most mishaps.

No portion of this site may be reproduced or redistributed without prior
written permission from Hints and Things. All trademarks & copyrights
throughout Hints and Things remain the property of their respective
owners.

Hints and Things cannot be
held responsible for any information given on this site nor do they
necessarily agree with, or endorse, the views given by third parties.